Our community is full of multi-talented, passionate individuals! So, why not create a space to tap into this wealth of knowledge? Enter, Passion Programs. This program uses a mentor-mentee design to build friendships in the community, for those who share common interests. The Passion Program app will pair people up based on their profile. Friends and fun. How great is that?
To trial this idea, the team will launch the program at a very small scale in Ballarat, they will run 2 programs based on the passions of web development, collaborating with the Ballarat Tech School to deliver this workshop and they will run a writing workshop with the Ballarat Writers.
This team received a $10,000 grant to bring their ide trial to life! And the Challenge?
This team wants to create a safe and inclusive café space in Ballarat – a café that warmly welcomes all; specifically, members of the LGBTQIA+ community. The café will also include a counselling wing, a performance stage, a ‘Wall of Pride’ (flags for each LGBTIA+ group), a cinema, an eating space, and accommodation for those who have been displaced.
This idea will be trialled with the creation of an in-school Rainbow Alliance at Ballarat Grammar, to give a voice and safe space to all students. With the $10,000 grant from Melbourne Pride, the team will run a pride weekend in Ballarat. Ballarat Pride Weekend will be running in December with a variety of community events for all ages.
Single use plastic. It’s an issue. Stepping up to the plate to address the challenge, this team have developed an idea called Plastic I.O. This machine trawls the ocean floor, collecting plastics which are then melted down to create glass frames. How clever is that!
To trial the idea, this team is set to run an education program in collaboration with the Ballarat Tech School, to educate students about the importance of caring for our environment, and how they can play an active role. Additionally, the participants will collect plastic waste from the streets and use different technologies at Ballarat Tech School to repurpose what they collected into new objects.
This teams Crazy Idea is a travelling Mardi Gras-style event that rolls through different towns, raising awareness about deforestation and reforestation through dance, music, costumes, and creativity. But it’s not just a parade, every attendee plants a seed before they leave, making it a party with a real environmental purpose.
To kick things off, the crew would like to hold a Year 9 school assembly and invite in an environmental expert to talk about the dangers of deforestation and how young people can be part of the solution. They’ll team up with local nurseries or the council to give every student a seedling to take home and plant, turning the start of the celebration into real environmental change.
This team’s Crazy Big Idea was a small, portable robot that gives real-time, non-biased advice to help people, especially young people, navigate big decisions about life, subjects, careers, and what to do next. No judgement. No pressure. Just clear, balanced guidance that learns your interests and gives you real options. Whether you’re stuck choosing subjects or torn between a trade and uni, this little bot’s got your back.
To bring their idea to life, the crew would like to team up with the school’s computer department to 3D print and code a working prototype. It may not be fully functional yet, but it’ll be a big step toward testing how a decision-support robot could actually look, feel, and operate, complete with early feedback from real students.
This crew dreamed up an eco-friendly battery powered by nature itself. Here’s how it works: water collects at the top, gravity pulls it down through turbines, and the heat of the Earth helps boost energy production. It’s part hydro, part geothermal, and all about clean, sustainable energy that doesn’t cost the planet. Imagine charging your phone, or your whole town without burning a single fossil fuel.
To make the idea visible (and beautiful), the team would like to work with a local artist to etch their hydro battery design onto glass and turn it into a functional water feature at school. As water flows through the display, it becomes both an artwork and an educational talking point, showing how the concept works while sparking conversations about renewable energy and student-led innovation.
This team’s Crazy Big Idea was a travelling workshop series where people of all ages can learn how to build a better work-life balance. From managing stress to setting goals and protecting mental health. Each session is designed to empower participants to put wellbeing first. But here’s the twist: every workshop costs just a small fee, and all funds raised go to global charities supporting health and wellbeing services in developing countries.
To bring the idea to life, the crew would like to hold their first pilot workshops at local primary schools, introducing students to the idea of school-life balance. With fun, age-appropriate activities and conversations, the workshop helps younger students build healthy habits early. A gold coin donation is all it takes, with all proceeds going to UNICEF to support health and wellbeing programs in communities that need it most.
This team’s Crazy Big idea is a global education program where successful athletes from all over the world come in to schools or jump on to Facebook to chat with students about their journey, from how they got started, what kept them going, and how sport has boosted their mental and physical health. It’s wellbeing reimagined!
To kick things off locally, the crew would like to invite AFL and WAFL heroes to speak to Year 9 students about their personal stories and how sport has shaped their wellbeing. These local legends will share tips, setbacks, and the behind-the-scenes truth about sport as a tool for confidence, resilience, and connection.
This crew’s crazy big idea is a travelling expo that takes drug education to the next level. The real genius is a full-body VR suit that simulates what it feels like to be under the influence of different substances showing the effects before and after. Attendees experience how drugs affect coordination, focus, emotions, and physical control, all in a safe, guided environment. It’s not about fear, it’s about feeling the consequences to make smarter choices.
The teams smart place to start is that they would like to run a school BBQ with a twist including games using beer goggles and other interactive tools to mimic the side effects of drug use. Experts will be invited to chat with students, not lecture them to share real stories and humanise the conversation around drug use. It’s about learning through doing, seeing through simulating, and talking without judgement.
This team’s crazy big idea is a global app designed for anyone feeling isolated, disconnected, or just new in town. The app pinpoints your location and shows nearby community events, support services, clubs, or social spaces. Giving you a personalised map to connection wherever you are on the planet. Whether you need a support group, a local soccer match, or just someone to talk to.
The crew would like to begin by exploring how to create a localised version of the app which is modelled on platforms like MAUL, designed to serve their own community first. This pilot version will highlight local meet-ups, clubs, and services in the area, building a small-scale solution.
